Improvement in bee-hives



H. A.v HANNUM.

Bee Hivel Patented Nov.

N4 PETERS, Fem-Lummen wagen-.gm u, cA

Unirse Sfrarns artnr rien,

HENRY A. l-IANNUM, OF CAZENOVIA, NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. dild9''llltl), dated November S, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. A. HANNUM, of (lazenovia, in the county of Madison and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bee-Hives, and I do hereby declare that the following' is a full and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specieation.

Figure l is a sectional perspective view of my improved bee-hive; Fig. 2, a vertical section thereof in the plane of line a a. Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the Inovable frames detached, with the honeycomb in place.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction of the bottom portion of the hive in such a manner that one side thereof may be removed for the purpose of arranging the comb-frames, hiving the bees, Cac.; but when in place forming an alighting-board, and with the opposite side formin g a dovetailed space, in which rests an angular slide for governing the entrance.

l prefer to employ a hive, A, substantially of the form represented. Over the top of this hive is situated a partition or diaphragm, l5, and on this rests a case, C, containing the usual honey-boxes. Communication is sustained between hive A and case U by means of slots or openings c a in the diaphragm. One angular side, b, of the hive is secured rigidly in place, but the lower portion, bf, ofthe other side is made removableits upper edge being jointed, as shown at o, to the tixed portion of the same side, and being held in place by means of screws cl d, which, when taken out, unfasten this side. The lower edge of'this side (or the opposite side, b, if p1 eferred) projects downward sufiieiently far to form an alighting-board, 1)-a passage, f, of suitable size being left in the angle, for egress and ingress ofthe bees. This 'passage is eft'ectually stopped, when desired, by au angular-shaped slide, D, which rests in the space or groove formed between the two sides b b', simply by nailing or screwing them in place. There are several advantages secured by this arrangement. In the first place, by making the side b removable I am enabled at any time to expose the interior of the bottom of the hive to examination, which in other hives of this peculiarrangular sha-pc cannot be done-the only access being from the top. By this means I can at any time adjust the comb-frames, hereinafter described, orremove such broken colnb as is sometimes unavoid ably produced, or clear the hives of moths; also make a large opening in the bottom of the hive for the purpose of hiving,77 which is far preferable to removing the top and inverting the hive, as is usually done, since the top is f1 equently stuck down. In the next place, the two sides l) b form a dovetailed space, which answers the purpose of a groove, formed especially for the reception of the cut-oft' slidein other arrangements of similarly-shaped hives. This is not only very cheap and simple, but' the peculiar advantage is, that the inner plane surface of the angular sides b b', where the slide enters, is unbroken, so that such dirt and lth as slides down from above escapes freely, and no recess or hiding-place is provided for moths. Vere a positive groove made for the cutoff slide in the sides b b, the filth would clog in the same, and it would torm a secure retreat for the moths. And, lastly, the projection b forms a convenient alightingboard for the bees in their passage from and to the hive.

Removable comb-frames have long been used, but are usually ot' square or rectangular form, to tit the hive in which they are employed; but in one instance I am aware that a triangular form of frame has been used, so arranged that either angle may be changed upward. My frame differs from this in several essential particulars. My frames E E are of the saine outline form ofthe hive proper, A, the sides g g meeting at an acute angle at the bottom, while at the top they are vertical. These sides are ot' smaller diameter or size than the sides of the hive, thus leaving an open and unobstructed space, h, all around between the frames and the sides of the hive. At the top of the frameis a han ger-piece, t', by which the frame is suspended on the opposite sides of the hive, and at a suitable position below, within the frame, is situated a erosspiece or slat, 7a. The beesattach their comb to the top of the frames and build downward; but they never close it at the bottom-merely touching it down at intervals-leavin g a space there for a passage through. Thus, by the emploggmentI ol` the crosspiecc 7s, l am enabled to preserve an opening, l, Fig. 3, transversely through the frame, which facilitates the 'passage of the bees and allows them to circulate more freely than it the entire fra-me were filled with an unbroken sheet of comb. It also in sures more regularity, uniformity, and straight ness in the sheet than if iilliug the entire frame, in which case it is lia-ble to loe huilt jagged, projecting, and angular, so as to interfere with the removal of any one ot the frames. l `urtherinore, as the brood-comb is usually at the bottoni, the crossvpiece 7c may be so situated as to forni the boundary between the brood and true honey comb, thus insuring` a ready separation o" the two with` out loss when any one of the frames is to he appropriated.

In addition to these Aadvantages the unobstructed and unbroken spaoe 7L, between the sides of the frames andthe hive, allows the free passage of the bees not only at the said sides, but also at the bottomthe fra-mes reaching not quite to the surface of the slidethus giving ready entrance and exit. This open space at the sides gives a free passage to all the filth and dirt that drops from above, i

t'ie same slidingr unohstructedly down the inclined sides b b of the hive and escaping'. This is ot' the greatest importance to the welfare ot' the bees, and is not shown in the triangular or any other arrangements with which l am acquainted, though in such a mere pas sage is made at the side to allow the bees to pass; but in such case the lth will clog at the bottom around the bearing,1 ot' the combi'rames against the sides ot' the hive, and will furnish a retreat for the moths.

Whatl claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination and arrangement of the removable angular side Z1 Zi, slide D, and rigid side b 0f the hire, in such a manner that the interior of the bottom ot' the hive i maybe opened, an ali glitingboard formed for [the bees, and a space formed to retain the slide by the angular position of said sides, and without the danger of clogging by filth, l substantially as herein set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed in v naine in the presence of two subscribing' witnesses.

. HENRY A. HANNUM. Witnesses;

1t. F, Oscoop,

o JAY HYATT. 

